“No little house for the mistresses?”
“You are far too knowledgeable concerning the ways of men,” he drawled. “A small house but I cannot stay there as I have let it to someone else. I had planned on staying in the country for a while and saw no need to leave it empty when it could bring me some profit. Still, there are others I could stay with although I could find myself being pushed to wed a daughter, niece, cousin, or the like.”
“You could stay at the Warren. It is empty save for me at the moment and is quite large enough, plus you have no servants so it would save you the time and expense of getting some.”
“You know I cannot do that, Olympia. It would destroy your reputation.”
“I am a Wherlocke, Brant. My reputation, if I even have one, is shaky at best.”
“It would be far more than shaky if I took up residence with you.”
Olympia could tell by the hard tone of his voice that there would be no arguing with him on the matter. She would continue to work on some solution to where he could stay, however, as she had the feeling that he would find many a door closed to him. It was going to be another blow for him but there was nothing she could do to shield him from it. He had been sunk in debauchery for so long he had obviously not kept an ear to the gossip about him. She did not believe he had done any more than many another unwed man of the aristocracy, certainly not the things she had occasionally heard whispered about him, but others believed it all.
He left to pack as soon as he finished his meal and she found herself alone with young Thomas. “Do you not have anything to pack?” she asked.
“Wearing near all I own and Merry is packing for both of us. His lordship said he will have need of a maid and me in the city. He is thinking he will be able to find his own lodgings after a few days.”
“Merry may stay with me until he does then.”
“Thank you, m’lady. He be right, you know.”
“About what?” she asked as she helped herself to the last of the tea.
“That it would be bad for your good name if he stayed with you. Not good for a single lady to have a man what’s not her kin staying in her home.”
“This is true but I am six and twenty—quite past the age of worrying about my dainty reputation. I am also a widow and such women are allowed more freedom. It is also why I need not suffer that foolish nonsense about being on the shelf and all.”
Thomas frowned. “Was your man sickly? You are a bit young to be a widow.”
“Married very, very young. My husband did not live long after the wedding. Not many recall but I remind them when they begin to act as if I am some poor, on the shelf lass who needs guidance.” She winked at the boy. “Not that many try such a thing with me.”
Thomas laughed but then grew serious. “You should still have some man to make sure no rogue takes advantage of you.”
“Oh, I have more male relatives than most women want and can call on them whenever I wish. You will undoubtedly meet some as I think we will need some help before this is all through. There is far more to all this than Lady Letitia thinking to sell off her daughter for a tidy profit.”
“I think so, too, m’lady. There be all the missing, aye? I also think this is going to be hard on the earl. Very hard. He knows his mother is a bad woman but I think he doesn’t know just how bad she is.”
“No, he does not. I heartily wish it otherwise but I fear he is about to suffer a lot of hard blows as this problem is sorted out.”
“I will take care of him, m’lady. So will the others. He is our brother even if he was never told so. He was still good to us and brothers have to watch out for each other.”
Olympia nodded and hoped Brant had plans to help young Thomas become more than a servant for the rest of his life. There was such strength and heart in the boy it would be wasted if all he did was tend horses in some lordling’s stables for the rest of his life. It was a strong point in the boy’s favor that there was no hint of anger or resentment in him toward the man who got all the benefits of being the son of an earl while he and the others got so little. For that alone, he deserved far better than he had been given so far.
It was two hours before they set out for London. Olympia sighed as she settled herself comfortably in her carriage seat, ignoring the stern look of her maid. Brant and Thomas had set off in a separate carriage, leaving young Merry to ride with her and Enid. The man was determined to protect her reputation, Olympia thought with a smile. It was something she was well accustomed to. The men in her family had been doing so for years, ever since that horrible night thirteen years ago. She had long ago given up trying to make them see that it was no fault of theirs.